A Republican running for Georgia governor said Tuesday if he’s elected he’ll enact the same sort of law as Arizona to crack down on illegal immigrants.

Former Rep. Nathan Deal, who resigned from Congress earlier this year to concentrate on his gubernatorial bid, said he thinks Georgians would support the law the same way Arizona residents have.

“As governor of Georgia, I’d work to pass and sign similar legislation,” he said in a statement.

The Arizona law, which Gov. Jan Brewer signed last week and which takes effect in several months, makes it a state offense to be in the country illegally, and requires police to question those they have reasonable suspicion may be illegal immigrants.

President Obama has criticized the law and his attorney general said Tuesday it might draw a court challenge from the federal government, but some members of Congress have defended the measure in the face of the federal government’s failure to secure the borders.

Polls show Mr. Deal trailing two other Republicans in the battle for the party’s nomination in the July primary.